CPL Study Guide 2026

Everything you need to pass the CPL exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.

📋 CPL Exam Format at a Glance

100

Questions

180 min

Time Limit

70%

Passing Score

Take a Full CPL Exam Simulation →

📚 CPL Topics to Study (69)

See all 69 topics as flashcards →

✍️ Sample CPL Questions & Answers

1. The FAA can issue an emergency revocation of a pilot certificate under which authority?

✓ 49 U.S.C. 44709

49 U.S.C. 44709 grants the FAA Administrator authority to re-examine certificate holders and reissue, amend, modify, suspend, or revoke certificates.

2. Which atmospheric condition causes the most significant reduction in aircraft climb performance?

✓ High temperature and high elevation (high density altitude)

High temperature combined with high elevation produces a high density altitude, dramatically reducing engine power output and propeller/wing efficiency, severely limiting climb performance.

3. Transponder Mode C provides ATC with which information?

✓ Aircraft identification code and pressure altitude

Mode C transponders reply with the assigned 4096 squawk code plus encoded pressure altitude, enabling ATC to display both identity and altitude on radar.

4. What is the purpose of a 'squat switch' (weight-on-wheels switch) in aircraft systems?

✓ To sense whether the aircraft is on the ground and enable or inhibit certain systems accordingly

Squat switches sense ground contact through compression of the landing gear oleo struts, enabling ground-only systems and inhibiting air-only systems to prevent inadvertent operation.

5. A NOTAM reports an ILS glideslope 'out of service' for your destination. Which approach type becomes the most appropriate precision substitute?

✓ LOC approach using localizer-only minimums

When the glideslope is out of service, the ILS degrades to a localizer (LOC) approach, which uses only the lateral guidance with higher published minimums.

6. What is the primary advantage of a constant-speed propeller over a fixed-pitch propeller?

✓ It maintains an optimal blade pitch angle to match engine RPM to changing flight conditions, maximizing efficiency

A constant-speed propeller uses a governor to automatically vary blade pitch, keeping engine RPM constant and allowing the propeller to operate at its most efficient angle throughout the flight envelope.

🎯 Free CPL Practice Tests

Aircraft General Knowledge · 11 questions Aerodynamics · 11 questions Aircraft General Knowledge · 7 questions Communications and Radio Telephony · 7 questions Communications and Radio Telephony · 7 questions Aircraft General Knowledge · 7 questions Communications and Radio Telephony · 7 questions Aircraft General Knowledge · 7 questions Aircraft General Knowledge · 7 questions Aerodynamics · 7 questions

📖 CPL Guides & Articles

Your CPL Study Path

1. Learn with Flashcards → 2. Drill Practice Tests → 3. Take the Full Exam Simulation

🃏 Flashcards (475)🏆 Exam Simulation